Drop on demand printing systems typically maintain a slight backpressure within the printhead to retain ink at a desired meniscus level within a nozzle. The backpressure should be high enough to prevent ink from leaking from the nozzle when the system is not actively ejecting ink, but not so high that air is drawn into the printhead through the nozzle. In conventional systems, the backpressure is typically set at a static pressure level. In some systems, multiple static pressure levels may be provided based on the type of printing mode being used. Systems that provide one or more static pressure levels, however, do not adequately manage backpressure in inkjet systems that are configured to print on complex, three-dimensional surfaces, where backpressure requirements may change as the printhead is placed at different attitudes relative to the surface to be printed.